Livingston Reservoir - 2024 Survey Report

Prepared by Dan Ashe
Inland Fisheries Division
Jasper District, Texas

This is the authors' summary from a 39-page report. For a copy of the complete report, use the download link in the sidebar.

Fish populations in Lake Livingston were surveyed in 2024 using electrofishing and 2025 using gill netting. Anglers were surveyed from June through August 2024 with a creel survey. Historical data are presented with the 2024-2025 data for comparison. This report summarizes the results of the surveys and contains a management plan for the reservoir based on those findings.

Reservoir Description

Lake Livingston is an 83,277-acre mainstream impoundment on the Trinity River in Trinity, Polk, San Jacinto, and Walker counties. The reservoir was constructed in 1969 by the Trinity River Authority (TRA) and the City of Houston for municipal, agricultural, and industrial purposes. In cooperation with the TRA and the City of Houston, East Texas Electric Cooperative operates a hydroelectric facility at the dam (construction completed in June 2020). Lake Livingston State Park and several TRA public parks are present around the lower half of the reservoir. Primary fish habitat is standing timber, woody debris, and boat docks.

Management History

Important sport fish included primarily catfishes and White Bass. Largemouth Bass and crappies were also present but have not contributed significantly to the overall recreational fishery. All recreational fisheries have been regulated with statewide length and bag limits, except for the bag limit for Blue and Channel Catfish (50 fish/day no more than 5 < 30-inches; and the 48-inch maximum length limit for Alligator Gar). Commercial harvest is allowed with appropriate Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) permits with similar bag limits as for recreational anglers, with the exception that catfishes must be < 14-inches and the daily bag limit is 50 fish/day with no more than 5 fish/day < 30-inches. The management plan from the 2020 survey report recommended continued support for the Friends of Lake Livingston (FoLL) littoral vegetation restoration efforts. Since 2013, FoLL, in cooperation with local school districts and other partners, has propagated and introduced approximately 70,000 water willow plants throughout the reservoir. Striped Bass were stocked annually to provide TPWD hatcheries a source of broodfish for temperate bass production. Hybrid Striped Bass (Sunshine Bass) were stocked in 2024, with plans for continued stocking into the future. Primary management challenges have included siltation and habitat loss, and control of invasive species, primarily giant salvinia and water hyacinth.

Fish Community

• Prey species: Gizzard Shad and Threadfin Shad were abundant and provided ample forage for sport fish. Bluegill were the most abundant sunfish but catch rate was low (11.0/h) with no fish > 6 inches collected.
• Catfishes: Blue Catfish were abundant. In 2025, catch rates decreased significantly (22.9/nn) compared to the previous 2017 (28.7/nn) and 2021 (42.7/nn) surveys. Historically, Channel Catfish abundance has been low. Catfishes were the second most popular sportfish during the summer of 2016, 2020, and 2024..
• Temperate basses: In 2025, the gill net of White Bass catch rate was 1.7/nn, a 20-year low for the reservoir. The White Bass fishery was the most popular during the summer of 2016, 2020, and 2024. The average angler catch rate was 3.7/h in 2024. Striped Bass abundance has been low, with only one fish caught during the 2025 gill net survey. Hybrid Striped Bass was observed during the 2025 gill net survey (0.2/nn).
• Largemouth Bass: Largemouth Bass abundance has been relatively low. Directed effort for Largemouth Bass was 2.0% during the summer 2024 creel survey.
• Crappies: Trap net catch rates of crappies have been historically low, and trap net surveys were discontinued in 2016. Few anglers targeted crappies.

Management Strategies

• Continue to support habitat enhancement efforts by FoLL.
• Stock Hybrid Striped Bass annually and evaluate stocking success of fry versus fingerlings in 2026-2027.
• Continue to consult with TRA regarding navigation lane boating hazards.
• Support TRA as needed with control of invasive aquatic vegetation.

Performance Report as required by Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act Texas Federal Aid Project F-221-M-2 Statewide Freshwater Fisheries Monitoring and Management Program